What would it have been like to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak in person? Or Muhammad Ali? Or President Barack Obama? Though you may never be able to travel through time and space to hear them speak in person, you can still catch a glimpse of some of the most prominent figures in African-American history by coming to the One Voice performance by Jeremiah Dew, better known as JDew, in Stratton Hall Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
For this production Dew, a 2007 BJU graduate, travels to various theaters, churches and colleges to perform a one-man show that emphasizes key figures in black history. Dew reenacts his choice of key figures himself and also incorporates video interviews from experts on the civil rights movement throughout the production.
The show first debuted at the Warehouse Theatre in 2011 under the direction of Ron Pyle, head of BJU’s department of theatre arts. Now, four years later, Dew is excited to bring the show back to BJU, where Dew said his involvement in the radio department, society and student body helped to prepare him for his current career as an entrepreneur.
“I’m excited to be back on campus in front of some of the people and teachers who helped give me the ideas that I use today in business and for this show specifically,” Dew said.
Dew said a lot of his jobs have stemmed from the experiences he had with the Classic Players, which included two plays in Rodeheaver Auditorium and four in Performance Hall. Currently, Dew is the “Director of Fun” and emcee for on-field baseball events for the Greenville Drive, the local minor league baseball team, as well as the emcee for Clemson University men’s basketball.
Dew said the One Voice production offers the chance to see history in a new way, presenting a story of America, not just black history.
“It’s a story about America through these people,” Dew said. “And they happen to be black, so they’re going to tell you their version.”
A nice blend of history, humor and honor, One Voice will bring historical figures to life.
Tickets can be purchased at bju.universitytickets.com for $5.
